A Dedication
by alexis.belt.7
Summary: Hermione goes to a muggle doctor and is diagnosed with lung cancer. With the cancer slowly killing her body, how long can she keep it from everyone, especially Draco Malfoy, who is now head boy alongside her? A dedication to someone dear to me.
1. 1

**This was supposed to be for Memorials Day, but it was late. It's a dedication story, to my dad who never got to see my passion: writing. So, dad, I hope you would have liked it!**

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**Hermione**

There are weird things that happen to all of us in our lives. No matter who you are, you will be subjective to at least one seemingly supernatural feat that changes your life forever. Whether it be finding you have magical powers, some kind of superhero, or you start dying are all things that can fit in to this category, but is not limited to.

These weird things some of us fear. Dying, for instance, is a common fear. The thought of being here one second and gone the next is hard to process and is usually ended with tears and frustration, and of course fear. Death is hard to understand, especially since no one alive on the Earth has gone through it before.

I have never feared death. That doesn't mean to say I understood it, because i'm not saying that. Not even the brightest witch of the ages would know that, which I guess would be me. Death has always been something I THOUGHT I knew. Since I have never been struck with the idea before and just randomly thought of it made it feel unimportant and didn't seem to confuse me.

So no, death never really scared me. Sometimes, like at the thought of the upcoming war, I welcomed it, like an old friend. Death used to mean to me that someone's heart had stopped beating and they were no longer on the Earth. That's all it used to mean to me. Of course, my views have changed.

The doctor in front of me can have the thanks for changing my mind. He pretended to be sorry for my family and I, but I didn't need his pity real or not. I willed myself not to cry, I had to stay strong. Especially for my mother that was going in hysterics and my dad trying to comfort her, but secretly hurting down in his core, too.

Like I said, death never used to scare me, not before. But now it did, it was a scary thing. The thing being how that one little obstacle in your life changing it completely and twisting up the things you thought you knew. The thing I'm trying to say that I have found out, you don't really think about or try to comprehend death until you're facing it in the face.

I could practically see death smiling at me as if saying it was okay, that death wasn't all that awful. But who could say that? No one in this world can say death doesn't fear them in the slightest. And if they do, they are lying.

The papers in front of me insured me that death was very soon. It almost brought tears to my eyes. Just think, this morning I was eating cereal getting ready for a doctor's appointment, and now this. My mother was smiling and my dad cracking awful jokes. It almost made me smile before I remembered the position I was in.

I was surely going ot die, and soon. Death was mocking and staring at me through the words on the paper. The words were his eyes and mouth telling me that I was going to die for the words stared right back and said: **Positive, Lung Cancer**


	2. 2

Everyday I grew weaker and weaker. Everyday my friends and fellow classmates grew suspicious. Even Draco Malfoy, who was the head boy along side me, was getting concerned, and that concerned me. I worried how much longer I had on this world. How much longer until I was six feet under. How long until Hermione Granger was no more.

Every day was something different and worse. You would think the wizarding world would have made a cure, but they didn't. Instead, they had a vaccine, which you had to get when you are two. I didn't even know there was such a thing as wizards when I was two. All I could do was sit and hope that I would get better. It hurt, knowing that one day, you might not be on the Earth anymore. It made me so sad, so... so... weak feeling. And I hated feeling weak.

The cancer effected my magic, too. The brightest witch of her age could't even perform spells right without it screwing up. It led to teasing. I couldn't study anymore because the cancer had moved to my brain. Since I was away in Hogwarts, I couldn't go to chemo as often as my parents and I would like. My parents let me keep this a secret, so not even Dumbledore knew. So, I wasn't allowed out of Hogwarts without a valid excuse, which I couldn't give.

The brain part of my cancer was getting bad enough it was eating part of my brain, which made it hard for me not to doze off. I got in trouble all teh time for it, and it hurt. It hurt that my once favorite teachers were getting on to me for something I couldn't help. The only people I had left were Harry and Ron.

Even that didn't last long. Ron was a short tempered person. He kept asking... no, demanding, to know what was wrong with me. Every time I didnt answer, everytime he stormed out, and everytime my eyes flooded with tears. One day, after so many of these times happening, he just never came back. He never looked or smiled to me in the hall, he never sat with us anymore at feasts, and he darted away every time I tried to talk to him.

Harry was better, but I knew he ws secretly mad, too. He wanted to know what was wrong with me, even asked. But he never got mad when I didn't answer, just hurt. That hurt me to see him be denied from his only best friend left.

Even Draco Malfoy wouldn't leave me alone. He always found a way to bring it up. When I would deny him to, every time he would end up stringing a few cuss words then declaring me a mudblood. It made him hard to live with.

Months later, it turned out Malfoy was right, I was a mudblood. Where I wasn't having enough appointments, the cancer had spread-ed to my blood. I had leukemia. Soon, it became hard to do ordinary things. I began to eat less, food started to sicken me. My veins soon became very visible on my skin. My skin started to cling to my bones.

My hair soon started to fall out from what little treatment I got. My parents soon had to buy me a wig. It looked kinda fake if you looked too close, but it would do. The major part was that it wasn't as abnormal as my real hair.

Draco Malfoy and his goons soon began picking on me again and spreading rumors I was anorexic, which I wasn't. The days went by slower and slower. Then, I went to one of my rare checkups. The lung cancer had gotten worse. The tumors had grown enough to make it hard for me to breathe.

Soon, I was hooked up on a portable oxygen tank. I had to carry an oxygen tank behind me and have it come form it to plugs that wen to to my nose. When I went back to school, it was obvious something was wrong with me. More questions aroused from people I knew to people who I didn't know.

One day, Greg Goyle started taunting me, and Malfoy wasn't even there. He started to tell me how my hair was too bushy for its own good, so he said he would fix it, which meant he tried to pull my hair out. Instead of getting a fistful of hair, he got a fist full of wig. he gasped and ran to the great hall. I knew it would only get worse form there.

I entered for breakfast the next morning to see everyone staring at me. Tears were brought to my eyes as I realized everyone had figured it out. I sat down to a teary eyed Harry. He just looked at me with a look that said: I can't believe you didn't tell me. I just stared for a while until he hugged me and left the great hall crying. I started to cry too.

Ron approached me after breakfast demanding to know why I didn't tell him. He kept shouting at me, and didn't even ask me if it was true. I didn't even get a word in. Then, he said something that made it worse.

"The worst part is, Hermione, I loved you." he says before walking away. I stand there dumbfounded for what seemed forever just thinking. I started to cry yet again. I loved Ron, but not that way. He was like a brother to me. But the way he said 'loved' instead of 'love' also hurt. I wonder if he meant just as the like like or both that and the fact we were, hopefully still are, friends.

Pulling my tank behind me, I trudged to the Head Rooms. Every one was staring and pointing, gossiping, laughing. That just hurt more. I started to cough so bad I dropped to the ground outside of the rooms. Footsteps echoed coming towards me. They stopped in front of me and I looked up to see Draco Malfoy. I hurried and looked down, blushing form him seeing me so weak.

A hand reaches for mine and I reluctantly grab it. He pulls me up. After what felt like hours, I finally looked into his eyes. His grayish blue orbs stared deeply into mine with what looked like sadness. He sighs, then, tears started to form in his eyes, he barely audibly whispered:

"Is it true?" he asks simply, his voice starting to waver. I look down, myself starting to even get emotional. I just nod and look to him. Tears start to trail his face. I started to realize that maybe Draco Malfoy wasn't all that bad. I may of even liked him.

I ruin the moment by going into a coughing fit. He gently pats my pack as the coughing subsides. I look into his eyes again and he pulls my chin up to his. I start to sob, he starts to mildy cry.

"I know I shouldn't be just admitting to this now, but I think I might love you Hermione Granger." he says to me. I let out a sob and bury my head into his shoulder. He strokes my fake hair.

"The... the wo..worst part is... I think I miii... might love you too, Draco." I say. He pulls my face back up, looking at me surprised. Then, before I can even contemplate what's happening, he pulls me into a kiss. I gasp as fireworks start to fill my mind. So this is what love feels like, I'm glad I got to feel it before I died. I force myself into him even more and his tongue dances around my teeth asking for entry. I greet him with my own and deepen the kiss.

I wrap my legs around his torso and grab a fist full of his beautiful blonde hair into my frail hands. He stops for a second and looks me in the eye. He was asking me a silent question, one I understood perfectly. Did I want this? I mean, if we went too far? I always promised I would wait for the perfect guy, but, wasn't Draco the perfect guy? I loved Draco, I think I have for a while. That's when I thought fuck it. I was dying anyways, what if I wasn't here tomorrow? I would never get to fully know him.

I nod and crash my lips to his again. He starts to walk when my tank pulls me back. I back away, knowing my breathing contraption probably freaked him out. But instead, he came to me, grabbed the oxygen tank, and pulled it along with me. He pushed me on the couch and started to undress us both. I started raking my fingernails over his skin and felt myself throbbing.

Neither he could wait no longer and he thrust himself into me. I moaned, then started to hack. He stopped, rubbed my back, then went back to it as it subsided. I woke up on the couch next to him the next morning. We helped each other get dressed and went to class.

The best part was, it wasn't awkward. We loved each other, and I was glad I got to experience love before I died. But it hurt knowing it wasn't fair for Draco.

That day, I didn't care that everyone was talking about me. I felt wonderful, positively wonderful. Draco Loved me, and I loved him. I was ecstatic. But, throughout the week I got weaker. I started falling down for no reason, my legs giving out. I even started to black out. Once, in the common room of the head's rooms, I collapsed on the coffee table. Draco started to worry and helped me up and picked and cleaned everything up.

Then, one day, I just blacked out. I wasn't worried when I woke up, this happened all the time. But the thing that started ot worry me was the fact I was in a hospital bed. Madame Pomfrey stood beside me with a wet clothe, my parents stood over me, Harry sat in a chair beside my bed, and Draco sat right on the bed beside me. I immediately started to worry. Then, my mind went blank. The people that I seemed to know just a few seconds ago seemed unfamiliar, strangers even. I didn't want to act mean, so I acted.

"Hi? what am I doing here?" I ask,but I was a terrible actor. Everyone began to break. The boy with a strange marking on his face and the older couple started crying.

"YOu... YOu don't know who we are, do you?" the white-ish haired teenager asks, his lip trembling. I look at him sad then shake my head no. A sob emits his lips. Suddenly, I felt sleepy and fall back under.

I awaken in the same place with the same people around me, except they were asleep, except for Draco. Wait, I remembered them! He turned to everyone else and woke them up, ecstatic I woke up. I look to Draco, who looks cautious. I smile and bring him into a kiss.

"Hello, Draco." I say to let him know I remember. He smiles, glad I did remember.

I find myself waking up yet again, which I don't remember even falling asleep in the first place. I yawn to find everyone STILL there. I smile, glad everyone cared about me.

"Madame Pomfrey said you can be emitted soon." Harry says, then pats my hand. I smile, then frown. Seeing it, Harry looks at me concerned. "What is it?" he asks.

"I'm late." I say. I start to get panicked and try to get out of bed. My father gently pushes me back down.

"Late for what?" My mother asks. I look at her like she's crazy.

"How can you not remember, I've had this job for three years. Surely you remember?" I ask. Everyone has worried looks on their faces, as well as concerned ones.

"I don't think I follow." my mother continues, her lips pursed. I roll my eyes and sit up gently.

"My job at McDonald's. I have to be there by seven, or I will be late!" I exclaim. Why was everyone so confused. Draco's eyes widen and he calls for Pomfrey. "GUsy? Do you even hear me?" But I soon forget what I was even talking about. I look to my hands to see little bottles of potions. Delighted by what they did, I pick up one and uncork it.

"Sweetie, what are you doing?" My dad asks.

"Sniffing this potion." I say. I take a whiff of it. " I think it is a badly brewed Polyjuice potion." I explain. Draco takes my hand with the potion in it and I drop it. "YOu broke it!" I exclaim. How could he?

"Hermione, there is nothing there." he says. I look to him annoyed and flabbergasted. I soon start to throw a fit. Madame Pomfrey then puts me to sleep, or at least, I think she did.

I soon got emitted from he hospital wing and back to my own room. I wasn't allowed to attend classes, and sometimes even Draco skipped his to help me. The confusion still lingered, however. No one seemed to figure out what I was talking about or trying to show them. I didn't get it, it was right in front of them. It confused me, and I hated it. But I tried not saying anything for their sake.

Draco was still as loyal as ever and loving. For a while, we kept it a secret. Of course, Harry knew. It was suspicious when he went to see me in the hospital. But soon, he said he didn't care and came out with it. Ron was beyond pissed, but Harry was happy for me, and for that I was glad.

He started carrying my books for me and dragging my oxygen tank everywhere for me. He soon even abandoned the Slytherin table for me; everyone was mad at him over there anyway. Harry was helpful, too. He came to see me whenever he could so he could see if I was OK, and to tell Draco to be good to me. Everything was almost perfect.

One day, however, during lunch, I started dry heaving. It felt like something was in my lungs. I couldn't breathe, and it scared me. But I don't think anyone was as scared as Draco and Harry. Draco picked me up bridal styled while Harry dragged my air supply behind us. Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore followed suit. I looked up and smiled at Draco, trying to convince him everything would be OK. But how do you convince someone when you can't even convince yourself?

I felt Draco stop, but I couldn't figure out why. I heard distorted voices. Only a few words came out. "She's... get out of... Weasley... she's dying..." Draco soon started moving again as I heard a crack, and soon I was back in the hospital wing. I felt arms lay me on a bed. My breathing got worse, I couldn't even feel my lungs.

"Nothing's working... she can't... goodbye..." I hear Pomfrey say. I hate that I can barely hear or see anything. I can barely open my eyes as it is. Warm hands start to caress my head and hair. I look up and open my eyes a little to see Draco. His eyes are sad, his lips in a grim straight line. Harry is beside him, looking worse. tears are drowning both their features.

"Hermione... remember I love you." Draco gently says to me. My lip starts to quiver, but it hurts, my breathing has become better but shallow. I turn to Harry.

"Hermione, you were the best est friend a guy could ever have." he says, then kisses my cheek, much to Draco's annoyance. "It was a pleasure knowing you." I smile.

"Guys, I'm not giving up." I manage to croak out. Draco wipes some silent tears from my face.

"YOU need to let go, I... I can tell your hurting. YOu don't need to keep going through this." he says, sobbing. I contemplate what he is saying, should I let go? I know I want to, but could I really leave them? I knew I had to one day, but right now?

"It's OK." Harry says, joining Draco's pleads. A tear goes down my face, and I nod. I really don't want to go, but I don't think I could hold any longer regardless. Madame Pomfrey goes to pull the plug with a grave face. Before she does though, I turn to Draco and Harry.

"Harry, you were my best friend, too. I will always miss you. Tell my parents they were wonderful and I will always love them." I turn to Draco right as Pomfrey pulls the oxygen plug. "And Draco, I... I..." I try to say, but suddenly lose breath. He pulls his index finger over my lips, as saying he knows what I was about to say and I didn't need to say it. I smile, then go under into the blackness that is death.

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**THis was going to be a long chapter book, but I decided to do a two-shot instead. Maybe later I will add a chapter about Draco at her funeral or something, make it a three-shot. Anyway... bye!**


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